Nyayo Discovery will be our main collaborator in Tanzania, as our tour company for the majority of our field study. Chaca and Lauren have organized most aspects of our field study.
About Nyayo Discovery
Who We Are
Nyayo (which literally means footprints or steps in Kiswahili) Discovery is a local family run fully registered tour company based in Arusha, Northern Tanzania. Specialising in ecotourism or more specifically community based tourism we are also social entrepreneurs in the sense that we have a policy of profit sharing with the communities we work with.
The two directors John Kweka (also known as Chaca), who is a native Tanzanian and his partner Lauren (originally from Britain) have between them more than ten years experience of working with charities, NGO’s (Non-Governmental Organisation) and volunteers as well as in the tourism industry. John initially qualified as a tour guide and then went on to study tourism management. He was also the volunteer co-ordinator of a local NGO for a number of years before he and his partner decided to start their own venture. Lauren has a degree in Anthropology, did her undergraduate dissertation on the impact of tourism on the Hadzabe of Tanzania and has been involved in charity work for several years.
Chaca and Lauren
What we Do
Our community based programs (our speciality) are specifically geared towards students studying at University who wish to gain a special insight into Tanzania’s indigenous peoples and cultures either to supplement their courses or as part of research projects or for those just wishing to have a more meaningful, in-depth educational experience than what is currently offered by many standard cultural tours. Students get the chance to take part in community life and engage with the community directly through two-way conversations, discussions and simple human interactions. Students and members of the community are therefore given the opportunity to learn about each other in a mutual exchange, but on the community’s terms, in an open dialogue.
Another important aspect of our programs is the focus we have on indigenous knowledge e.g. botanical/medicinal knowledge, history, customs etc. Each of our programs consists of an indigenous knowledge workshop facilitated by us and aimed at community youth which students are asked to participate in. These workshops are designed to encourage indigenous youth to reclaim their culture and be proud of the knowledge and customs passed down to them from their elders.
Our Philosophy
It is our strong conviction that one can operate a viable business but still contribute to the well-being and sustainable development of the community. Community based tourism in particular can be highly beneficial for indigenous communities but only if it is responsibly managed and sustainable. Truly sustainable tourism needs to have a minimal impact on the environment and the indigenous community. The communities themselves need to have complete control over how tour companies operate in their environment and they should also be able to receive direct benefits that are not merely one off cash payments from outside tour companies or handouts from tourists. In many cases one off payments through a third party or “middle man” who operate in between the tourists and the communities themselves often prove to be detrimental since those payments do not provide long term solutions to the communities problems.
By profit sharing with the community (between 5 and15% depending on group size and duration of program) and ensuring those profits are put back via sustainable projects that the communities themselves first discuss and then decide upon, we can help provide the community with long term benefits not merely short term ones.
